News Brief

June 18, 2007

Two rockets hit northern Israel, the first fired from Lebanon since last summer’s war. There were no injuries, but some damage was reported, police and the military said. In a broadcast on the militant group’s Al-Manar television, Hezbollah denied firing the rockets, which hit near the town of Kiryat Shemona. Kiryat Shemona was battered during last summer’s inconclusive war between Israel and Hezbollah, when 4,000 rockets rained down on Israel. An Arab affairs analyst on Israeli television said a splinter Palestinian group in Lebanon was probably behind the attack — not Hezbollah. An official traveling with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who was arriving in the United States for talks, indicated that Israel would not hit back. But the official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, added: “Israel will not succumb to this provocation but will monitor the situation carefully.” Kiryat Shemona Mayor Haim Barbivai called for a tough response from both the Israeli and Lebanese governments. There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese government.